Noun
A board consisting of a flexible, springy, cantilevered platform that propels one into the air, used for diving or gymnastics.
Something that acts as a catalyst to begin or accelerate an action or growth.
Usage- Figurative
- Examples
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The opportunity acted as a springboard for their success.
More examples (2)
It was the section of the North Midland Railway from Derby to Ambergate which provided the springboard for a scheme that took shape in the early part of 1845 for a route through the Peak to Manchester.
Culturally and economically Finland is a Western nation. But would the Finns fight if the Soviets tried to use Finnish territory as a springboard to attack NATO?
Verb
To launch or propel as if from a springboard, especially toward political office.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Such a change could amount to a seismic shift in the nation’s electoral dynamics, potentially springboarding a Republican into the White House, and the possibility has animated hopeful Republicans and fearful Democrats.
Noun
a flexible board for jumping upward
- Broader terms
a beginning from which an enterprise is launched
- Broader terms
- Examples
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he uses other people's ideas as a springboard for his own
reality provides the jumping-off point for his illusions
More examples (1)
the point of departure of international comparison cannot be an institution but must be the function it carries out